International Travel and Health Insurance

Utah State University has contracted with International SOS to provide travel assistance services and ACE to provide international travel accident and sickness insurance for the university community traveling abroad on university business or sponsored activities. (NOTE: CIEE, ISA, ISEP and Youthlinc programs offer insurance that is approved by USU Risk Management. Students on all other programs are required to use the insurance provided through USU). Please see the USU Risk Management Services website for more details regarding insurance coverage.

Please be aware that for programs without airfare included (excluding spring break programs), the USU insurance fee posted covers your program dates as well as seven (7) additional days of coverage before the program begins, after the program concludes, or split before and after the program dates. Zero (0) additional days of coverage are offered for programs with airfare included or spring break programs. If your program does not include airfare and you will be traveling for more than seven days beyond the program dates, you will need to purchase other insurance.

While the USU International SOS and ACE program provides coverage for emergency accidents and sickness you may experience while traveling abroad, it is important to remember that this insurance is NOT the health insurance you may be used to and does not cover routine care. Your personal insurance coverage may have provisions for routine care while traveling. You should check with your individual insurance provider to best understand what routine care coverage you may have.

Understand—and communicate—any accommodations you need before finalizing your abroad program plans and/or housing arrangements. This means allergies, dietary requirements, disabilities, and any other medical or educational assistance. Students who require accommodations study abroad successfully all the time, though resources and services vary widely by country and region. If you have been using services here at home to address those needs, make sure you understand ahead of time exactly what accommodations can or will be available. In some cases, your needs may determine which program is suitable for you. Please contact the Disability Resource Center for more information on accommodations for study abroad.

It is important to educate yourself on health-related matters about your host country. For example, what is the closest modern medical facility with English speaking staff? Is the tap water safe to drink? Should I be concerned with food safety? What are the host countries laws concerning importing medications and prescription drugs? To find the answer to these questions, you can check out the below links: